New moderator strives for innovation

The door is open. Inside the office, besides two blue chairs off to the side of the room and a cabinet filled with a few binders, nothing stands out. A small window looks out into the Barry Commons.  A computer sits on the desk accompanied by some papers. It’s not cluttered, but it’s not spotless

At the desk, Mr. Chris Bosco looks over some paperwork. In the neighboring SGA office, a group of students discusses ways to help raise money for Joplin. Lunch has finished and a steady stream of noise builds as the juniors and seniors fill the Barry Commons, preparing for activity period.

The door is open. Mr. Bosco gets up and begins talking with some of the SGA students about the recent Rocklin developments. He’s taking in everything: learning.

“My number one goal is to try to learn as much as I can about all the different adults and students in the community that are doing things that this office oversees,” Mr. Bosco said.

As the new assistant principal for student affairs and SGA moderator, Mr. Bosco has many things to learn. The numerous events planned by SGA, the management of clubs, and the variety of meetings all have their own complexities and issues. However, by working with the students and guiding them along the process, Mr. Bosco doesn’t let these complexities stop him from helping students to achieve their goals. The door is open.

***

“In this challenge each soccer player must chug a cup of Mountain Dew, but to make things harder there will be a live goldfish in the cup,” senior Emerson Hodes explains at the pep assembly.

What wasn’t explained was that there were no live goldfish because of complications earlier in the day. But the crowd wasn’t left to dwell on it, as the competition continued, unfazed.

“3,2,1, Go!”

According to Mr. Bosco, this was one of a couple of mistakes that occurred during the pep assembly.  As a young man, he might have pointed fingers; instead, a couple days later after the dust had settled, Mr. Bosco had a meeting with the leaders, seniors Charlie Brain and Drew Martin, to review the pep assembly as a whole.

This maturation as a leader can partially be credited to a program called JSEA Seminars in Ignatian Leadership, a three year process that involved meeting twice a year for seminars.

“Leadership is as much as looking into myself and trying to look inside from the perspective of the students, it is as much about that, and communication than knowing what problem to solve,” Mr. Bosco said.

Through these Seminars, he has emphasized his focus on the process, specifically self-reflection, which frequently gets left out with the hectic lifestyles we live today.

“He is very methodical, as far as the process goes. He is very step by step by step. He wants us to walk first before running,” senior Matthew Gude, SGA president and former Core Team member said.

For Mr. Bosco, the application process for the job as assistant principal for student affairs was similar to this “walk before run” philosophy. When he first heard about the job, Mr. Bosco wasn’t so sure he wanted it, but as the application process continued, it became clear to him what he should do.

“Along the way (of the application process) I felt more and more certain that this is what I wanted to do,” Mr. Bosco said.

***

The gym is bustling with freshman as they sort through the maze of tables. The Club Fair has begun. As Mr. Bosco makes his way through the Club Fair, he pulls out some papers with t-shirt designs and begins talking with a student. They exchange welcomes, and then Mr. Bosco asks him of his opinion.

“So do you think students would buy these shirts to help raise money for Joplin,” he asks showing the student the prototypes of the shirt.

The student contemplates and then answers. “Ya, I could see people buying them. I mean for 10 dollars it’s a pretty good deal.”

Mr. Bosco agrees.

As SGA prepares for Rocklin, the planning required from the beginning has been essential. His support of the massive New Spirit Contest, acceptance of new clubs, and approval of a Chick-Fil- A lunch showcase his ability to work with students in planning new events.

“He’s a long term planner, I mean he looks ahead and he is very connected with the kids,”Mr. Mike Heringer, former principal of student affairs said.

Not only does he realize the importance of planning, he also recognizes that the students deserve a strong input in these decisions. Whether it is through SGA or the student body directly, he is willing to listen.

“He’s a good communicator and he has the ability to work well with a number of different types of people including students and adults,” Mr. Mike Wickenhauser, family friend and English teacher, said.

Looking at the year ahead, Mr. Bosco realizes that his everyday life at school has changed. He used to come to school with a certain set of goals to complete for the day. But, what starts as five things to complete becomes ten. There may be more things to get done, but the way in which he completes them, by following the process, doesn’t ever change. The door is open.

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